Good art and sound advice from the host with the most.

TS is, of course, always grateful to accepts invitations to the odd corporate event, and so it was that we found ourselves recently crammed in a lift on our way to see the now famous Vermeer exhibition at the National Gallery.

Vermeer was sponsored by Big Five firm Ernst & Young, who were our gracious hosts, supplying us with tasty canapes and a rather good champagne. Ah, the joys of working in accountancy journalism.

And our hosts were terribly nice. But not so nice to everyone.

As we were crushed in the lift one E&Y staffer was overheard loudly asking the attendant: ‘Can I get my fat client in. We’ve got to be nice to the clients you know.’